It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Angel Oak Tree gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Johns Island, SC is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“Best Senior Service Care in Charleston to work for. Christine and Rick are very positive”
“Very Professional and excellent staff.”
“Our family has been using the services of Always Best Care for the past six”
“I cannot say enough wonderful things about Always Best Care Charleston! I am truly blessed”
“Always Best Care caregivers have been taking care of Dad for over a year. We”
“Like most I was not prepared for the transition to being the responsible one for”
“We have had several senior services for my Mother that we were really not happy”
“Good Afternoon! I hope you're doing well! I wanted you to know that my dad”
“The absolute best caregiving company to work for hands down! Rick and Christine are genuine,”
“This is a great company to work for. All their caregivers are dedicated and caring.”
“These people are lifesavers! We searched for months to find an in-home care agency for”
“Always Best Care has constantly provided quality care services for my wife over many months”
“Couldn’t imagine a better team of people to take care of my loved ones. Rick”
“Rick and Christine, of Always Best Care Charleston, are the exact people I would trust”
“I've known Christine and Ricky Johnson for more than 30 years and would highly recommend”
“I joined Always Best Care as the Director of Operations about 3 months ago. I”
“I have known Christine and Rick for years. Their actions and words repeatedly demonstrate their”
“I couldn't be happier that Ricky and Christine Johnson have joined Always Best Care Senior”
“How fortunate the Charleston community is to have Always Best Care to serve the needs”
“I have known Christine and Rick Johnson both professionally and personally for over 20 years”
“Best Senior Service Care in Charleston to work for. Christine and Rick are very positive and supportive and for that I love my Job.”
“Very Professional and excellent staff.”
“Our family has been using the services of Always Best Care for the past six months and are grateful for the assistance provided to my elderly parents. Initially Rick, one of the owners, met with us along with my parents to closely assess their needs. His warm, friendly manner was helpful in persuading my father to give the assistance a try for two days per week. Rick listened carefully to choose the best match in caregivers, and we could not be more satisfied than we are with our parents' caregiver. She has quickly become essential in their lives and makes a huge difference in whether or not they can remain in their home. Her manner with my parents is professional, but loving, always--- always--- going the extra mile to meet their needs. She is knowledgeable, hard-working, caring, and trusted to do what is in their best interest. We are thankful that someone told us about Always Best Care and ever grateful for our caregiver.”
“I cannot say enough wonderful things about Always Best Care Charleston! I am truly blessed to be a part of such a wonderful team! Christine and Rick are very dedicated to the work that they are doing, and it shows in everything they do. I have never had the pleasure of working for a company with more passionate and involved owners. They show up for their clients and caregivers in every way possible. They go above and beyond to treat everyone like family and enrich the lives of those around them. I am so grateful to be able to be a part of this journey and cannot wait to see all the great things they will accomplish!”
“Always Best Care caregivers have been taking care of Dad for over a year. We appreciate Christine and Rick very much. Quentin, Ann, Alexus , you and others have been a joy to have in our home and doing whatever needs to be done. You show your care and concern for Dad’s physical and emotional well being and you have become part of our family. I really rely on you when we can’t be home and know Dad is in good hands!!! Keep up the good work!!! Love you all.”
“Like most I was not prepared for the transition to being the responsible one for my Mom. Looking back there were signs of memory decline but after emergency surgery and move to rehab the combative paranoid person my sweet, witty, well read , soft spoken Mom became was shocking. Medication and skilled care were prescribed. Several missteps were made with both. Mom’s dark side resulted in first skilled care company dropping us which I totally understood. I was very straight with Christine and Rick regarding Mom’s recent ‘trips out on the ledge’. Rather than politely taking a pass on us...they spent 2 hours in person with us, 3 cumulative hours on the phone asking me questions and strategizing how to avoid the triggers that put Mom ‘on the ledge’, and 2 twelve hour days observing, testing and tweaking strategies. We are approaching 2 months with no major or reportable incidents. I don’t know how long this again found quality of life will last. I am thankful that one of the nurses referred me to ABC. I am tremendously thankful to be their client for the remainder of this journey.”
“We have had several senior services for my Mother that we were really not happy with, then we found Rick and his staff with Always Best Care. There name says it all ... always the best care. Their staff are warm, caring and assist my Mother seven days a week, and she loves seeing Rick. I couldn't ask for better care & highly recommend them to anyone who needs this type of service.”
“Good Afternoon! I hope you're doing well! I wanted you to know that my dad LOVES Rick and so does Amya!! I can't thank you guys enough for all that you guys are doing, not only for my father but me! Rick went out of his way today and that truly meant a lot :) My dad is so happy and that makes me happy! you guys rock!! thank you!!!”
“The absolute best caregiving company to work for hands down! Rick and Christine are genuine, loving individuals which make them amazing business owners/ bosses. They do not hesitate to make their employees and clients happy. I’m so thankful to have met these amazing people and be apart of their outstanding company.”
“This is a great company to work for. All their caregivers are dedicated and caring.”
“These people are lifesavers! We searched for months to find an in-home care agency for my aging mother. Previous agencies we used had high turnover and repeated no-shows, leaving us scrambling to adjust and worried sick about Covid exposure from a revolving door of caregivers. Christine and her staff came to our rescue and changed all that. Their caregivers were patient, loving, dedicated and RELIABLE. They provide service at the highest level and we would wholeheartedly recommend them to others. My mother deserves the best care and I wouldn't use anyone else.”
“Always Best Care has constantly provided quality care services for my wife over many months of required assistance. The caregivers provide professional services with a loving touch. They have always addressed any questions or concerns immediately with kindness. The administration checks with me, periodically, for a review and any input for improvement. I highly recommend this company.”
“Couldn’t imagine a better team of people to take care of my loved ones. Rick and Christine are the kindest and most genuine people. Their years of work in the customer service industry truly show through the care they provide to others. Aside from the physical and emotional care they provide, which is most important, they are reliable, punctual, trustworthy, and their connections with others last a lifetime. Everyone is family with Rick and Christine.”
“Rick and Christine, of Always Best Care Charleston, are the exact people I would trust and choose to care for my aging loved ones. They are loving, patient, knowledgeable and extremely detail oriented. They have decades of experience in the customer service industry and truly value the relationships with each of their clients.”
“I've known Christine and Ricky Johnson for more than 30 years and would highly recommend their services! They've built businesses from the ground up and this one is / will be a perfect fit for them and their clients. They come from, and have created, a large family where assisting others is part of their everyday lives. Their caring nature, solid work ethic and integrity will be highlighted through Always Best Care Senior Services Charleston and will be to the benefit of clients' loved ones.”
“I joined Always Best Care as the Director of Operations about 3 months ago. I bring 15 years experience in senior living to this brand new non medical home care company. We have put together an excellent team of personal assistant’s and are ready to accept new clients.”
“I have known Christine and Rick for years. Their actions and words repeatedly demonstrate their high expectation of what it takes to nurture a loving family and to be active members of a positive, supportive community. Both clients and employees will benefit from their consistent standard of compassionate honesty & integrity as well as the positive energy they bring to every encounter. I recommend them without reservation.”
“I couldn't be happier that Ricky and Christine Johnson have joined Always Best Care Senior Services. From years of experience in dedicated customer service to the love and care of their own (and extended) family, this is a wonderful fit! The Johnson's tireless work ethic, attention to detail and heart for people should give family members of clients absolute confidence and trust in their care. Bravo!”
“How fortunate the Charleston community is to have Always Best Care to serve the needs of seniors. Rick and Christine Johnson, known for their dedication to helping others, have prayerfully commited to finding and nurturing the best team possible to assist them on this mission. Thank you, Rick and Christine, for offering families peace of mind for the care of loved ones.”
“I have known Christine and Rick Johnson both professionally and personally for over 20 years now. I know them to be caring and loving. I with no reservations would have them care for my 93 year old father, If I still lived in the Charleston area. I can not state a higher praise to their character and integrity than that. Allen Sandridge”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Johns Island County Park - Mullet Hall with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Wild Olive Restaurant or visit Fort Johnson, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Johns Island, SC, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Johns Island, SC understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Johns Island, SC 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – A local youth baseball program on Johns Island has plans to expand so more kids can play ball, but they will need Charleston County’s help.“A lot of our kids have to go elsewhere to play other sports and that’s what we’re trying to do is just keep it here on Johns Island,” said Todd Rieger who leads the Youth Umpire Program for the Barrier Islands Little League.Barrier Islands Little League dates back to the 1950s and currently serves more than 600 players. The org...
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – A local youth baseball program on Johns Island has plans to expand so more kids can play ball, but they will need Charleston County’s help.
“A lot of our kids have to go elsewhere to play other sports and that’s what we’re trying to do is just keep it here on Johns Island,” said Todd Rieger who leads the Youth Umpire Program for the Barrier Islands Little League.
Barrier Islands Little League dates back to the 1950s and currently serves more than 600 players. The organization is looking to build a new complex off Main Road to accommodate even more kids.
“We’ve got some high dreams for the kids that will serve age four all the way up to 16 in Little League, and possibly American Legion, which is getting into more 17 to age 21,” Rieger explained. “So, very exciting time for our community and for the kids to have a really nice complex to play in.”
The nonprofit, Lowcountry Land Trust, requested over $1.6 million from Charleston County’s Greenbelt funds to purchase 40 acres of land which would be transferred to the Barrier Islands Little League.
The money in the county’s Greenbelt Program comes from a half penny sales tax approved in 2004 and then again in 2016.
“We rely heavily on our partners, nonprofits, municipalities. They apply for grant funding to acquire land and once they do that, then we place a grant agreement on it which protects that land,” said Eric Davis, the Director of Greenbelt Programs for Charleston County.
Aside from the new baseball facilities, the proposed active and mostly passive park would include greenspace and hiking trails.
The Charleston County Finance Committee will consider making a recommendation to approve the request on Thursday which is one step in making the project a reality.
Rieger said they are still going to need help from a generous donor with what could be a $15-20 million total cost.
“Is that a lofty goal? Sure. But why not?” Rieger asked. “That’s what we teach our kids, set goals, try to reach them.”
County officials said the recommendation from the Finance Committee will go to full council for their approval.
Two ballot questions up for vote in next week’s election have Charleston County residents split, with notable advocacy groups and community leaders loudly proclaiming their opposition.Charleston County is seeking to extend a half-penny sales tax previously passed in 2016 to generate $5.4 billion to pay for large-scale infrastructure projects — including the extension of Interstate 526 across Johns Island. Almost half of all funds raised through the half-cent tax (about $2.3 billion) would go toward the interstate project, ...
Two ballot questions up for vote in next week’s election have Charleston County residents split, with notable advocacy groups and community leaders loudly proclaiming their opposition.
Charleston County is seeking to extend a half-penny sales tax previously passed in 2016 to generate $5.4 billion to pay for large-scale infrastructure projects — including the extension of Interstate 526 across Johns Island. Almost half of all funds raised through the half-cent tax (about $2.3 billion) would go toward the interstate project, including more than $600 million to pay interest costs on a tax-backed loan worth $1.8 billion.
At an Oct. 15 Charleston County Council meeting, dozens of residents and local advocates spoke for roughly an hour during a special public comment period. Those who spoke against the sales tax pointed to its unclear language, the unfinished projects from the 2016 tax and grievances with the Mark Clark extension project as reasons to vote against the measure.“The county has already failed to pursue all but one of the projects from the previous sales tax,” one speaker said.
The new tax would also pay for millions of dollars of work that was supposed to be covered by the 2016 referendum. About 5% of the new tax’s revenue, or $282,223,000, would go toward “carryover projects” from the 2016 sales tax.
“Once more, we’re back where we started again,” another said. “It’s time to start from scratch.”Meanwhile, groups like Citizens for Safe Roads, a grassroots movement, support the referendum.
In its “Vote Yes” campaign, the group said: “The transportation sales tax potential distributions include billions for road improvements across Charleston County necessary to improve the safety of dangerous intersections; reduce response times for EMS, fire, police; improve hurricane evacuation routes; and reduce traffic injuries and fatalities.”
Altogether, the funds raised by the sales tax would be allocated to:
Opponents say lumping the massive Mark Clark extension project with other, crucial improvements is unfair to voters.
“Charleston County voters deserve to make informed choices when they head to the polls. They should not be forced into an all-or-nothing decision,” Coastal Conservation League Executive Director Faith Rivers James said in a statement. “Voters deserve the right to vote for preferred needed improvements — like Greenbelt and CARTA funds — without being forced to support the destructive and unnecessary Mark Clark extension as the priority project.”
Republican County Council member Larry Kobrovsky of Sullivan’s Island added that there’s no guarantee all of the projects funded by the new sales tax would be built, either, adding to the uncertainty of the measure.
“My fear is that we will jeopardize ongoing projects from the [2016] sales tax,” he told the Charleston City Paper in a previous report. “By lumping it all, we’re holding hostage all these other projects to 526.
“When people vote on this, they think the projects will be built,” he said. “This is just a fantasy. … There’s no guarantee we will have the money to finish these projects. How can we in good faith put out something that we don’t have the money for? To me, that wouldn’t be ethical or fair.”
A second question on the ballot would approve the issuance of up to $1 billion in bonds to the county payable from the new sales tax. If passed, the new sales tax would be active starting in 2027 and remain in place for no more than 25 years, or until a matching total of $5.4 billion in returning revenue has been collected.
Election Day may look a little different this year. Up to 140,000 Charleston County voters are expected to have voted before Nov. 5, according to county election officials, which will make it much smoother at the polls for same-day voters, projected to be about 80,000 people.Here is a list of all candidates in contested races who will be on Charleston Countyballots to help readers prepare to check the box when they arrive at their polling locations.
District 1 — Nancy Mace (Republican, incumbent); Michael B. Moore (Democrat)
District 6 — Duke Buckner (Republican); James Clyburn (Democrat, incumbent); Gregg Marcel Dixon (United Citizens); Joseph Oddo (Alliance); Michael Simpson (Libertarian)
District 20 — Kendal Ludden (Libertarian); Ed Sutton (Democrat, incumbent)
District 41 — Rita Adkins (Democrat); Matt Leber (Republican)
District 43 — Chip Campsen (Republican); Julie Cofer Hussey (Democrat)
District 44 — Brian Adams (Republican, incumbent); Vicky Wynn (Democrat)
District 15 — J.A. Moore (Democrat, incumbent); Carlton Walker (Republican)
District 80 — Kathy Landing (Republican, incumbent); Donna Brown Newton (Democrat)
District 110 — Tom Hartnett (Republican, incumbent); John Moffett (Democrat)
District 111 — Wendell G. Gilliard (Democrat, incumbent); Joe Jernigan (Libertarian)
District 112 — Peter Brennan (Democrat); Joe Bustos (Republican, incumbent)
District 114 — Gary Brewer (Republican, incumbent); Adrienne Lett (Democrat)
District 115 — J. Warren Sloane (Republican); Spencer Wetmore (Democrat, incumbent)
District 116 — Charlie Murray (Democrat); James Teeple (Republican)
District 119 — Brendan R. Magee (Republican); Leon Stavrinakis (Democrat, incumbent)
District 3 — Hayden W. Seignious (Republican); Rob Wehrman (Democrat, incumbent)
District 7 — Brantley Moody (Republican, incumbent); Sydney Van Bulck (Democrat)
9th Circuit Solicitor — David Osborne (Democrat); Scarlett A. Wilson (Republican, incumbent)
Sheriff — Kristin R. Graziano (Democrat, incumbent); Carl Ritchie (Republican)
Coroner — Frank Broccolo (Democrat); Bobbi Jo O’Neal (Republican, incumbent)
Treasurer — Mary Tinkler (Democrat, incumbent); Mike Van Horn Sr. (Republican)
District 2 — Carolina D. Jewett; Ed Kelley (incumbent)
District 4 — Kevin D. Hollinshead; Craig Logan
District 6 — Daron Lee Calhoun II (incumbent); Michele Leber; Samuel Whatley II
District 8 — Darlene Dunmeyer-Roberson (incumbent); Michelle Faust; Charles Glover Sr.
District 1, St. James Santee — Thomas Legrant Colleton Jr.; Chayann Lashay Simpson; Marie Snyder-Facine
District 3, James Island — Sue McManus; George Tempel
District 4, Cooper River Area 3 — Lala B. Fyall; Jametta L. King
District 4, Cooper River at Large — Michael Garnett; Jametta L. King
District 9, St. Johns — Bill Antonucci; Pat Cline; Gertie S. Ford; Cedric I. Solomon
District 10, St. Andrews — Francis Marion Beylotte III; Joy Brown; Piare A. Powell
District 20, Peninsula — Downing Child; F.X. Clasby
District 23, St. Pauls — Blanche Bowens; Marvin Lamar Bowens; Tiffany Deas-Smalls; Elijah Hammer Dent; Damian M. Jones; Richmond Truesdale
The Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections is reminding voters to double-check their polling locations ahead of the 2024 general election next week,as some locations in the county have moved.
Of the locations that have moved, one is in McClellanville, six are in Mount Pleasant, three are in North Charleston, one is in West Ashley and one is in Hollywood.
Charleston County residents can check their polling location and make sure their voter registration is up to date online at chsvotes.gov.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 5.
It’s not too late to vote early, but time is running out.
Voters can cast an early ballot at seven locations through Saturday. Early voting is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Polling locations:
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JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – After the weekend, the Johns Island and Lowcountry community came together to help out St. John’s High School.The local high school hasn’t had a traditional homecoming dance since 2020, but this year they are bringing it back. One student on the dance’s committee took to Facebook and ...
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – After the weekend, the Johns Island and Lowcountry community came together to help out St. John’s High School.
The local high school hasn’t had a traditional homecoming dance since 2020, but this year they are bringing it back. One student on the dance’s committee took to Facebook and sent out a post hoping to make this year’s homecoming special.
“She was worried our homecoming dance wasn’t going to happen,” Erin Longshore, a teacher at St. John’s High School, said. “I think her original intention was to see if she could get a couple of things here and there for us to have really great decorations and from there it just kind of exploded.”
The response from that post allowed the school to raise over $13,000. Longshore checked her email on Saturday and shared the news with her committee members Madison Evans and Morgan Denton, who are also teachers at the school.
“Completely utter shock,” Longshore said. “I started crying when I saw all the emails on Saturday and I normally don’t check emails on Saturday, but something told me to.”
School officials said students are excited for the dance and were also surprised by the amount they fundraised. Some of the donations included buying tickets for students and others to their Amazon wish list. With the dance coming up tomorrow, students and staff on the decorating committee are continuing to prepare for the night.
“We’ve been patiently waiting for the Amazon delivery truck to show up so we can get all our packages and undo those,” Longshore said. “They’ve been able to come out of their classes do so, and we’ve been slowly decorating during lunch. And in any free time we might have, which we don’t have much, but we’ve been getting it done.”
Officials said the remaining amount of money will go towards future dances and activities, which will leave the students and staff plenty of time and resources to plan ahead. Longshore said this year’s decorations will be recycled and reused.
The dance is on Oct. 17, while the homecoming football game and parade will be on Oct. 18.
JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A science teacher at James Island Charter High School hopes you’ll help her provide her students with the tools to collect and analyze scientific data, specifically how sea level rise is changing our local environment.Eve Kendrick believes her students could be the key to solving serious environmental problems in the Lowcountry.“My students are very enthusiastic and passionate, and they’re full of life,” she says. “I want to capture and harvest that energy and maybe dire...
JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A science teacher at James Island Charter High School hopes you’ll help her provide her students with the tools to collect and analyze scientific data, specifically how sea level rise is changing our local environment.
Eve Kendrick believes her students could be the key to solving serious environmental problems in the Lowcountry.
“My students are very enthusiastic and passionate, and they’re full of life,” she says. “I want to capture and harvest that energy and maybe direct it toward some environmental stewardship through learning about different aspects of sea level rise in environmental science.”
Kendrick plans to encourage this stewardship through a real-world research project in the field looking into coastal freshwater streams. The project aims to document how sea level rise and saltwater moving further inland are transforming these freshwater environments.
“We’re going to be looking at insects, and using these insects as an indicator of how our streams are changing,” she says. “They’ll be able to process these samples on the streambed outside, and they’re really going to get a personal connection with these ecosystems that maybe wasn’t on their radar before as something really critical to monitor.”
Kendrick hopes to provide her students with the tools to carry out this monitoring through her project on Donors Choose is called "Too Salty! Sea Level Rise & Freshwater Environments."
She plans to buy nets, waders, sieves and other testing equipment to track how these delicate coastal environments are being affected.
“I’m going to partner with the Adopt-a-Stream organization in South Carolina, and so this data that my students will collect through my ‘Too Salty’ Donors Choose project, that’s actually going to go into a state database,” Kendrick says. “Scientists will be able to access it, and it’s going to allow my students to take ownership of the research that’s currently happening in our state.”
With your donation, you’ll be able to not only make an impact on students but also your local environment now and into the future, Kendrick says.
“We’re going to take all of our skills and take them outside so [my students] can actually get their hands dirty and wet and actually collect insects and process their own data,” she says. “I think that going outside and having a personal connection with the environment helps to encourage students to become lifelong learners. It also might encourage them to have some environmental stewardship as they move forward as adults and citizens in South Carolina.”
Kendrick also has a second Donors Choose project called "Interactive Biology and Data Analysis" that is designed to bring biology concepts to life through collaboration, realistic case studies and interactive labs. She plans to use basic resources funded through the project, including calculators and clipboards, to create a notebook documenting her students' problem-solving and analyses.
You can become a Live 5 Classroom Champion for these students by helping to fund these projects. All donations are tax-deductible. The Donors Choose organization collects the money, purchases the items and sends them to the teacher. That way you know your donation is used appropriately.
If you’re a teacher who would like their Donors Choose project featured on Classroom Champions, please email [email protected].
Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.
Published: Oct. 9, 2024 at 12:50 PM PDT|JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Nine couples sued a homebuilder on Johns Island after the builder terminated their contracts at the last minute, and a judge ruled in favor of the buyers saying the contract lacked ‘any mutuality’ and was ‘unconscionable.’Christopher Raybon was one of many who thought he had found his dream house with Eastwood Homes in Swygerts Landing on Johns Island.“I remarried in 2019 and my wife and I both were really excited about look...
Published: Oct. 9, 2024 at 12:50 PM PDT|
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Nine couples sued a homebuilder on Johns Island after the builder terminated their contracts at the last minute, and a judge ruled in favor of the buyers saying the contract lacked ‘any mutuality’ and was ‘unconscionable.’
Christopher Raybon was one of many who thought he had found his dream house with Eastwood Homes in Swygerts Landing on Johns Island.
“I remarried in 2019 and my wife and I both were really excited about looking for a fresh start. We had our eyes on probably six or seven different properties, and decided to go with Eastwood because we’d heard such great things about the houses,” Raybon says.
He signed a contract with Eastwood Homes and the process began.
“We felt great going into it. The person who gave us contracts went over everything with us, assured us that they never had any problems with anyone with their contracts, and that it was pretty, as we’ve heard a couple times, just kind of a boilerplate contract,” Raybon says.
Raybon recalls getting weekly updates on the house, that started to slow in the months approaching the move, but he didn’t think anything of it. He was never notified of any sort of issues. Then, he says it was only a month until the big move when he got the call.
“Just out of the blue, I received a call from them, kind of, expressing that they had an HOA issue and that they wanted to work through, would take a couple months, and they want us to voluntarily exit the contract, and didn’t give me a choice of what to do. It was a really sinking feeling, because the impact of it didn’t hit me all at once, but after I got off the phone, it really sunk in it they want me to exit this contract, and I’ve got to explain to my wife how we no longer have anywhere to move,” Raybon says.
Eastwood Homes wrote the contract. The part this lawsuit deals with is a paragraph titled “Seller Option to Cancel Prior to Closing.” The paragraph says that if a bona fide dispute should arise between the buyer and seller, and it cannot be resolved, it is the seller’s sole judgment to cancel the contract. In that event, Eastside would notify the buyer, refund their purchase, plus $100 for the trouble.
Local attorneys Ross Appel and Michael Cooper handled the case. They say the legal issue isn’t whether there was an HOA dispute, but instead with how the contract is written and how dispute is defined.
“One of the issues that we have in this case is that when you’re dealing with these national builders, the contracts that you sign are not negotiated. These are take it or leave it form boilerplate contracts that are being provided on a take it or leave it basis by the builder,” Appel says.
“The builder is allowed to use their own contract, right? That’s totally fine, but the terms of the contract have to be fair and sort of mutual. Like, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” Cooper says.
At trial, Eastwood’s lawyer testified that they defined ‘dispute’ as any reason the builder wanted to cancel. The Eastside lawyer says in the record “Your opinion is irrelevant because it’s the seller’s sole judgment, so I really don’t care what your opinion is. It’s only my opinion that matters. Period.”
The judge ruled that the terms of the contract were not mutual, lulled the buyers into a false sense of security and “no reasonable, honest, or fair person would accept such terms that allow the party with superior bargaining power to terminate the agreement at-will and without meaningful consequence.”
“The ruling that we got from Judge Scarborough stands for a pretty simple proposition, that when a builder enters into a contract with a homebuyer, they have to take that contract seriously, and they can’t just terminate the contract for any reason they want and do so in a way that’s completely one-sided, and that’s really what this case is about,” Appel says.
“So they can’t say you have to use our contract, but then I get all the benefits and you get none. And so, you know that’s the issue - is when it’s not really bargained and it’s not fair,” Cooper says.
At trial, the Eastwood lawyer said the company had the right to define ‘dispute’ dispute however they wanted and for example, could end the contract if they wanted to try and re-sell the home for a higher price.
“It was really devastating us. We were really looking forward to beginning a new life, moving into this new house. And it was just devastating to know that someone could come into a contract that we entered into with faith and just decide on a whim not to sell it to you. And, you know, and the dream that you had, we don’t really care about that, because we care more about what we think we need to do for our bottom line,” Raybon says.
Eastwood homes is appealing against the ruling, so this case may be heard by the State Supreme Court in 2025. Raybon is glad to have been a part of setting the record straight in the first ruling, even if he still doesn’t have that dream home.
“It was just completely unfair. If they could do that to us, they could do that to who knows, however many other homeowners and I’ve never been one to stand by when I felt like there was a, you know, someone was being wrong,” Raybon says.
Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.
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